No comments about American Eagle Pommel Sword: The Early Years 1794-1830.

No comments about Web of Spider-Man #99 : The Swords Are Drawn (Marvel Comics).

4 comments about Swords and Hilt Weapons.

1. This is the most complete reference I have seen on the subject, rife with good photographs and superb research. Each chapter is written by a different person (experts I assume) and provides exceptional detail. It has sections on Bronze and Iron Age weapons; western weapons from Rome through WWII; Japanese swords; Indian weapons; and Chinese and Southeast Asian weapons; it even covers African weapons quite well. If you are starting a library of edged weapons, or already have one, this book must be in it!



2. As a child I took weapons, swords, daggers, Sgian dubhs, dirks hanging on the wall as the norm for decor. My Grandfather's home was covered with this items that looked wonderful. As I grew I came to appreciate the beautiful and craftsmanship in weapons that dominated warfare for millenniums, until the coming of the more clumsy equaliser guns. Anyone can pick up a gun and fire it, but to use a sword with proficiency was something akinned to a ballet. Thrust, parry, block, defence and offence, from claymore to épées were breathtaking to watch, even more so was the feeling of hold these metal wonders in your hands. So it was not surprising I went on to collect swords. And this book satisfies that love of the weapon. With various contributors, they trace the earliest origins from stone area, bronze age and bronze age to the swords of World Wars I and II. It covers swords from the Middle East, the unsurpassed Japanese Samurai blades, Swords used in China and Central Asia, even into India, Africa and Pre-Conquest America.

   It is LOADED with colour pictures of the weapons, historical paintings showing them in use, even details spectrograms on the composition of the swords, how they were made, used from the most basic to the most ornamental dress swords. Every page just is simply amazing.

   Highly recommended any any sword collection, anyone interested in knowing more about these weapons that forged our history and especially of interest to historical writer and historical romance writers. An Absolute MUST for them.




3. This is one of the first books I bought when I started collecting arms and armour. The color photographs are detailed and of good quality, and there is a fairly good range of swords from European to Indian/oriental. I have found myself reaching for this book as a resource many times. I highly recommend it.



4. I own the 2000 reprint of the book. The text copyright is by Coe et.al 1989; compilation copyright is by Prion books 1996. Apparently it is a compilation, and it shows, which is why I call the book schizofrenic. It is very well illustrated, but in the text there are no references at all to the illustrations. Generally you'll find an illustration of the type of weapon discussed in the text nearby, but sometimes you'll have to page back or forth or it cannot be found. So text and images are really separate.
   
   I call the book myopic because of its focus on description of the appearance of the objects. There is almost nothing on metallurgy or materials science, forging, technical advances throughout history, fencing or tactical use, or the military or cultural circumstances why certain types have been preferred in a culture at some period of time (shape, length, straight or curved, one- or two-edged, piercing or cutting, etc.); only the chapter on Japanes swords touches upon some of these topics.
   
   Overall I found the book disappointing.

1 comments about Trench Art.

1. Very well writen and profusely illustrated. The "bible" on this material, especially from WW I. Floyd McRae, Col, USAF, {Ret}. Western Front Assn.

1 comments about INTERNATIONAL MILITARIA COLLECTORS GUIDE (International Militaria Collector's: The Guide).

1. I'll keep this short. If you want to look at some cool pictures, buy the book. If you want a guide for the purpose of collecting militaria, don't waste your $$$$$. I find it to be of no worth.

No comments about Excalibur #71 : Crossing Swords (Fatal Attractions - Marvel Comics).

No comments about Chinese Hero Volume 2 Collectible Box: Tales Of The Blood Sword.

No comments about Japanese Sword Terms and 400 Named Blades.

No comments about Marvel Tales #208 : Starring Spider-Man and Red Sonja in "Sword and the She Devil" (Marvel Comics).

2 comments about Modern Combat Blades: The Best In Edged Weaponry.

1. The author claims to be expert in combat blades. Having read his book, I must doubt this claim. I think his neither understands much of knifes nor of knive fighting. Beside some useful hints and stories that you may also find in other books on the subject, the all over impression of this book is disappointing. Trying to sell replicas of antique swords - such as the gladius or the rapier - as modern means of self defense is simply ridiculous. This is the 21st century and not the age of Spartacus or D'Artagnan! Moreover his evaluation criteria for the blades are very inconsistant and vary in the different chapters of the book. The book is full of statements (for example: the western art of fencing is superior to asian traditions) that seem to be subjective judgements. The author would have done well in using scrutinized facts instead. If you are interested in bying a good guide on combat blades you should rather try 'Battle blades' by Greg Walker.



2. Mister Long is a technical writer whose specialty is modern military firearms. From perusing this well-illustrated text, it soon became painfully obvious that the subject matter was well outside his field of expertise and he was relying more upon research of what others had written rather than his own personal experience. I noted several significant technical errors that an individual with extensive knowledge of the items in question would not have made -- but said errors are not too terribly important, and would go unnoticed by most -- hadta deduct a star for it, though. Another complaint is that many of the knives listed are no longer available (i.e., several selections from Blackjack Knives), but to be fair, this text is about a decade old.
   
   As for the anonymous reviewer who thought the concept of using a short sword in the modern age for defense was "ridiculous", I need to disagree very strongly. A weapon such as a gladius, wakisashi, or qama is an excellent choice for home defense -- especially in areas where firearms are prohibited or danger to others via overpenetration is a factor -- nearly every respected self defense authority (i.e., MacYoung, Mashiro, Jahn, Sockut, etc.) is in agreement on this particular point.
   
   A revised edition would be nice. . .